Beyond civilisation: The loneliness of Point Nemo

 

Have you ever felt lonely?

Loneliness is a human feeling; everybody has experienced it at least once in his/her life. Whether you are far from home and miss your family or when you are in your room, you may feel as if everybody is too far away.

Those situations are understandable, but there’s one place on Earth where you would feel lonelier than ever before.

It’s Point Nemo, the most remote place on Earth. It got its name partly from the Disney cartoon fish but primarily from Latin, where nemo means “no one”—a very fitting term because no one is actually there.

Hrvoje Lukatela, a Croatian engineer who has worked in many different fields and projects (such as determining the qibla, the exact direction for praying to the Kaaba in Mecca), has proven to be a genius in his work. Through some intricate calculations, he found its exact position:

48°52.6′S 123°23.6′W

South Pacific Ocean

Point Nemo is a marine desert. It lies outside any state’s jurisdiction and lacks the nutrients needed to sustain more than plankton or algae. Apart from that, we must admit that the water there is extremely clean since almost no boats navigate near this point. Nearly no airplanes fly above it due to its uncomfortable winds

It is the most remote place on the planet because if you find yourself there, the nearest humans to you will most likely be the astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

The oceans conceal a myriad of secrets: unique creatures, ethereal landscapes, and also terrifying sights. Point Nemo has none of this to offer—apart from a gigantic red flag, warning the unlucky people who find themselves there that they have been stranded, far from civilization.

This is when you’ll experience true remoteness—not the loneliness you feel in relationships or crowded cities, but actual, terrifying isolation.

                                                                             Sabah Labyad 4B SCU